This invention relates generally to gas downdraft ranges and in particular to directly interchangeable burner configurations for performing completely different cooking functions in a fixed burner pan. The fixed burner pan is directly convertible between a grill burner arrangement and a conventional surface burner arrangement by interchanging the respective burners and appropriate cooking grates.
With respect to changing the cooking function performed, the prior art has consistently taught the use of interchangeable cooking cartridges. Each cooking cartridge is self-contained and includes an assembly of all the necessary components including a removable burner pan so that the cooking cartridge is functional once it is plugged into the burner box structure. Specific examples of this type of cooking cartridge arrangement include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,797,375 issued Mar. 19, 1974 to Cerola and 4,457,293 issued July 3, 1984 to Berlik.
Thus, the prior art has provided for interchanging complete and self-contained cooking cartridges to provide different cooking functions. It is believed that, until the instant invention, there has not been any known showing of interchanging specific burner structures within a fixed burner pan in a gas downdraft range to achieve different cooking functions therein.